almost all of them

USAGE SUMMARY

"almost all of them" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a group of individuals that are almost all of the same category. For example, "Almost all of them were wearing blue jeans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But almost all of them".

The New York Times

Almost all of them survived.

The New York Times

(Almost all of them do).

The Guardian

Well, almost all of them.

The New York Times

But almost all of them are conformists.

The New Yorker

But almost all of them were shelved.

The Economist

Almost all of them are men.

Independent

"And almost all of them were elderly".

The New York Times - Arts

Almost all of them became the Taliban".

The New Yorker

Almost all of them won easily.

The New York Times - Sports

Almost all of them are there.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost all of them" when you want to convey that a very high percentage of a group shares a characteristic or experienced something similar, but you want to acknowledge the possibility of a few exceptions.

Common error

Avoid using "almost all of them" when the proportion is closer to 'most' or 'many'. Reserve it for situations where the vast majority truly applies, otherwise, it can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost all of them" functions as a determiner phrase. It is used to quantify a group, indicating that nearly every member of that group shares a certain characteristic or condition. This is supported by Ludwig and the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

22%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost all of them" is a widely used and grammatically correct determiner phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and its prevalence across news, scientific, and academic contexts demonstrates its versatility. While very similar alternatives exist, such as "nearly all of them" or "virtually all of them", "almost all of them" strikes a balance between generality and accuracy. As Ludwig's examples show, the phrase is valuable for conveying a strong majority while still acknowledging potential exceptions. When employing it in writing, ensure the context reflects a genuinely high proportion to avoid misleading the audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly all of them

Emphasizes the approximation to 'all' with a slight nuance.

close to all of them

Indicates that a number is very near to the total.

virtually all of them

Highlights that exceptions are so rare as to be negligible.

just about all of them

Suggests a small number are possibly excluded.

practically all of them

Suggests that any deviations from 'all' are insignificant in practice.

a large majority of them

Highlights the size of the included portion.

an overwhelming number of them

Stresses the sheer quantity of those included.

the majority of them

Focuses on the fact that more than half are included, though possibly not as close to 'all'.

the bulk of them

Implies that the main part or largest portion is included.

most of them

A more general way to indicate that a large portion is included.

FAQs

How can I use "almost all of them" in a sentence?

You can use "almost all of them" to indicate that a large majority of a group shares a particular characteristic. For example, "The students took the test, and "almost all of them" passed".

What phrases are similar to "almost all of them"?

Alternatives include "nearly all of them", "virtually all of them", or "most of them". The best choice depends on the exact shade of meaning you intend to convey.

Is there a difference between "almost all of them" and "all of them"?

Yes, "almost all of them" implies that there might be a few exceptions, whereas "all of them" suggests that there are no exceptions whatsoever. It adds a nuance of precision.

When is it appropriate to use "almost all of them" instead of "most of them"?

"Almost all of them" is appropriate when the percentage is very high (e.g., 90% or more). If the percentage is lower, "most of them" is a better choice.